Slice stacker for slicing machines



Sept. 20,1932. C, F, M VAN BERKEL 1,878,069

SLICE STACKEIR FOR SLICING MACHINES Fild Sept. 6, 1928 0 o c u 3 n o /7 ,3g

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' rires PATENT orcs CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL, 0F WASSENAAR, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR T0 U. S. SLIG- K ING MACHINE COMPANY, OF LA PORTE, INDIANA, A ACORPORAILIOIE'OE" INDIANA j stronl sTAcKEn'ron ,snrciivc ilAcaIIlvEs Application filed September 6, 1928, Serial No. 304,232, 'and ine The 1\Tether1andsV September V19,1927.

The present inventionk relates to mechanism for slicing meat and other commodities and for stacking the slices on ai.receiv1ng tray or table. The conveyer mechanismvincludes, asl

usual, two chains spaced above one another as shown in my prior patents No. 1,290,425 and No. 1,573,953, which patents also disclose in detail the mode of operation of this type of slicing machine. In my prior patent No. 1,674,881, patented June 19, 1928, I have disclosed a conveyer mechanism in which metal bands are used instead of the usual chains. In the present application, I have provided a novel means for detachably hold ing the ends of the metal bands together so that the bands with their attached members for engaging the material sliced can be easily removed from the machine.

The detachable holding` means for converting the steel band into an endless conveyer band is pvoted to one of the pin carrying members positioned adjacent to one end'of the band and is detachably connected to a pin carrying member positioned adj acentto the other end of the band. The relation of the parts is such that the distance between the points connecting the detachable holding means remains uniformat all positionsfof the strip, the distance between these points being the same as that between the successive pin carrying members.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a slice carrying device showing its relation with a'slicing machine; Y j j Fig. 2`is a top plan view of the slicing machine showing the slice carrying mechanism in section as indicated by the line II-II in Y Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the detachable connection between the ends of the upper and lower steel bands.

The numeral 1 denotesthe base of a slicing machine havinga rotary slicing knife 2 and a reciprocating carriage 3 slidable on thel rods 5 and 6. The hand wheel 4 drives mechanism j well known in the art for rotating the llmife and reciprocating the table. A supporting plate or bracket'25 is secured to the front edge of the base 1 and carries theconveying mechirons 19. The flanges 7 and 18 provide .a v

guide slot for receiving a metal band or tape 20, preferably of steel. The band 20 pro-f,

jects upwardly above the topedge ofthe flanges 7 and 18 as shown inFig. 1. f

Spacedupwardly frointhe plate 40 and supported thereonbyspacingbolts 9 andV 10 is a second guide plate 41 having a peripheral flange 7 and an inner flange 18 held in spaced relation with the flange 7 by angle brackets 19 in a manner similar to the flanges on the lower guide plate 40.v A band 21 similar to the band 20is guided between the flanges 7 and 18 and projects downwardly below the lower edges of the flanges. The two metal bands are connected by a series of spaced upright'bars 22 which are riveted or otherwise attached at 24 to the inner'faces of the projecting portions of the bands as best shown in Fig. 3. The members 22 have portions 42 which space the bars 22 inwardly from the bands 2O and 21 to permit the ends of the pins 23 carried by the bars 22 to be in substantial alignment with the bands 20Yand 21.

The metal bands r20 andv 21 are driven by' discs 27 and 28 secured to a shaft 11, the lower end of which is journaled in the bearing 41 onthe plate 25 and the upper end of which is journaled in a bearing 12 on the plate v41.

rlhe discs 27 and 28 are provided with notches 41"'which engage the ends 45 of the bars 22 to positively drive the bands with 'their attached bars 22; 3 f j The lower end of the shaft 11 is provided with a gear 14 which meshes with a pinion 17 carried on-'astud shaft 46, vthe upper end'of which is provided with a `pinion 16 which meshes with a rack on the reciprocating table 3. rlhe particular form of .driving connection between the discs and the bands is not material as several modes of effecting the desiredresult will occur to those skilled in the art. The bands could be provided with special ribs for the notches 41 or the discs might be provided with pins to engage lholes in the bands. v j

Thebands 2O and 21 abut with their ends againste'a'ch other, as shown at 29 in Fig. 3. A metal strip is pivoted by a pin 31 on the horizontal portion 42 of the bar 22 that is attachedon one end of the band 2O adjacent the end of the band. The other end of the strip 30 has a 'hook portion 32 which engages a pin i 33 onthe horizontal portion 42 ofthe bar 22 iiendless iconveyer band, slice carrying menif-slots for the steel bands. --aiid 21 with the connecting bars 22 can be attached adjacentthe other end ofthe-band 20. The axis of the pins 31 and 33 are each located in a straight line lying in thatr vertical plane which projects through the points of the pins 23. rlhese pins therefore remain ata uniform distancefduring movement of the machine and because'the distance of the pins 31 and 33 is equal to the distance between 'the points of the pins 23, the mutilation or tearing of the meat or other substance sliced is prevented.

lt will be noted that the horizontal portions 42 of the bars 22 have extended portions V43 which project slightly beyond the band 20.

This additional ledge portion 43 facilitates the placing of the pins inline with the band 2O and ends of. pins 23.

The flanges 7 and 7 are provided with removable end portions which are releasably held in'place to close the ends of the guide The steel bands 2O easily and quickly removed from the-guides by removing the detachable sections 26 and then removing the hoolied end of the strip 30 from the pin By reason of this construction, tbe separate parts ci the conveyer may be readil),1 inspected and cleaned.

I claim Y 1. Conveyer mechanism for slicing machines comprising yin combination a flexible metal band the ends of which are positioned in abutting relation to eachother toform a lsubstantially endless conveyer band, slice carrying members attached to said band, impal ing pins onsaid members, said members having a portion thereof spaced inwardly from said band toV position the points of said pins in substantial alignment with said band,.and a latching member the ends of which directly `connectslice carrying members attached to opposite ends of said band and hold 'the ends of said band in abutting relation.

2v.V Conveyer mechanism for slicing machines comprising in combination a flexible l metal band the ends ofwhich are positioned adjacent to each other to form a substantially bers attached to said band, impaling pins on said members., said members having a portion thereof spaced inwardly from said band to position the points of said pins in substantial alignment with said band, and a latch inem-- ber detachably connecting'the ends of said band, the points of connection of said latch member with said'band being in substantial alignment with the edge of said band and with the points of said pins.

3. Conveyer mechanism for'slieing macliines comprising. in combination a Yflexible metal band the ends of whichV are positioned adjacent to each. other to lformv a substantially endless conveyer band, sliceV carrying f members attached to saidband,imj aaling Vpins on said members7 said members having a portion thereof spaced inwardly from said band to position the points of saidlpins in substantial alignment with said band, .and a latchv means thereon for detachable connection with the other. end of said band, the points of connection of said latch member with said band seing in substantial. alignment with the edge of said band andwith the points ofsaid impaling pins.

4. Conveyer mechanism for slicing machines comprising in combination, a flexible metal band, the ends of which are positioned adjacent to each other to form a substantially endless conveyer band, slicecarrying members attached tofsaid band, impaling pins on said members, one of said: members being attached to said band adjacent one end thereof, anotherv of saidfmembers being attached to-said band adjacent the other end thereof, said members each having an inwardly eX- tending attaching portionY for spacing the slice carrying portion of said members inwardly fromfsaid band to' position the points of said pins in substantial alignment with the edge of said band, and a latch member detachably connecting said slice 'carryingingin substantial alignment with the edge of said band and with the points of said pins.

5 Conveyer mechanism yfor slicing machines comprising `in combination, a flexible metal band, theends ofwhich are positioned adjacent to each other to form a substantialf ly endless conveyer band, slice carrying members attached to said band, impalingpins on said members, one of said. members being attached to said band adjacent one end thereof, another of said members being attached to said lband adjacent the, other end thereof, said members having an 'inwardly extending attaching portion for spacing ythefslice"carrying portion of said members inwardly from f said band to position the points ofpsaid pins `in -1 substantial -alignmentwvith thel edge-.of TST said band, and a latch pin carried by the inwardly extending portions of said members positioned adjacent opposite ends of said bands, the axes of said pins being in substan- -tial alignmentv with the edge of said band the ends of said bands being positioned ad' jacent to each other to form a substantially endless conveyer band, slice carrying members connecting said bands, impaling pins on said members, said members having an in- .wardly extending attaching portion to space the slice carrying portions of said members inwardly from said band and to position the points of said impaling pins in substantial alignment with the edges of said bands, and a latch member connecting the adjacent ends of one of said bands, the points of connection of said latch member with said band being in substantial alignment with the edges of said bands and with the points of said pins.

7. Conveyer mechanism comprising in combination an upper guide, a lower guide, a flexible metal band in each of said guides, the ends of said bands being positioned adjacent to each other to form a substantially endless conveyer band, slice carrying members connecting said bands, impaling pins on said members, said members having an inwardly extending attaching portion to space the slice carrying portions of said members inwardly from said band andto position the points of said impaling pinsl in substantial alignment i" with the edges of said bands, a latch pin carried by each of the adjacentv ends of said band, the axes of said pins being in substantial alignment with the edges of said bands and with the points of said impaling pins, and a latch pivoted on one of said pins, said.

latch having a hook portion for detachabl engaging the other of said pins. y

8. Conveyer mechanism comprising in combination an upper guide, a lower guide, a flexible metal band in each of said guides, the ends of said bands being positioned adj a-y cent to each other to form a substantially endless conveyer band, slice carrying members connecting said bands, impaling pins on said members, said members having an inwardly extending attaching portion to space the slice carrying portions of said members inwardly from said band and to position the points of 'said impaling pins in substantial alignment with the edges of said bands, and a latch member detachably connecting the inwardly extending attaching portions of slice carrying members positioned adjacent opposite ends of one of said bands, the points of connection of saidlatch member with inwardly extending portions being in substantialV alignment with the edges of said bands and withV the pointsy of said impaling pins.

9. A slicing machine comprising an endless slice conveyer having a flexible metal band trained about a plurali-ty of rotatable Lelements, a plurality of conveying elements secured to said band, a latch secured to one side of said flexible band adjacent the end thereof and adapted to engage a latch member on the opposite adjacent end of said lexible band to holdthe ends of saidband detachably in predetermined relation with each other, said latch member being located on the edge of said band which does not change its plane of movement as it passes over said rotatable element thereby preventing` said latch member from interfering in any substantial way with the movement of said flexible band about said rotatable element.V

' l0. A device as claimed in claim 17 in which one of said rotatable elements has means thereon adapted to engage portions of said conveying elements to positively drive said band, said latching means being so constructed as to holdthe ends of the band in proper relation to each other sothat the conh veying elements adjacent each end` of said band may be in vproper spacedv relation to each other so that the same will be properly engaged by` the means on said rotatable element as the conveying elements and the rotatable driving element come into engagement with each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 17th day of August A. D. 1928.

CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL. 

